By Alexis Casillas

Children are leading more robust lives than any prior generation. It is not uncommon for kids to finish their school day and rush off to multiple activities like sports, academic tutoring, arts and music programming, or any other kind of enrichment. Juggling sign-ups and scheduling for this is hectic under normal circumstances, but is even harder when you are dealing with neurodiverse students. For students with disabilities or learning differences, finding the right placement and getting appropriate supports there can be a challenge, especially when parents are unaware of how extracurricular and nonacademic programing fits into a student’s special education and antidiscrimination rights. 

Using Afterschool Programming for Remediation As families of students with disabilities know, school hours are precious because they give students the opportunity to access academic instruction, socialization opportunities, and other educational benefits. Sometimes it makes more sense for a student to postpone related service-type activities (e.g. speech or occupational therapies, reading remediation, etc.) till after the school day ends so as to maximize the time students have with classmates and teachers. If you’re interested in doing this, it is important to schedule early (because afterschool slots fill up fast).  

If you happen to have a student who has an Individualized Education Plan under the Individuals with Education Act, or a Section 504 Plan, and these services help your student access what’s going on during their school day, you want to make sure that the school knows the service is necessary and happening. In some cases, after-school programming can (and should) be included as part of a student’s IEP or 504 Plan. At the very least, if your student is struggling and you are having to provide programming outside of school so they can keep up, it is important to keep records of this and to consult with school administrators (and maybe even an education attorney) to explore whether changes need to be made to your student’s current programming plan, or if you could be entitled to reimbursement for these expenses. 

Access to Publicly Funded Afterschool Programs Another issue that comes up for students with disabilities is the commonly held misconception that a student’s entitlement to supports, services, and accommodations end with the last bell. That’s simply not true. For students with IEPs or 504 Plans, school districts may be legally obligated to provide them an equal opportunity to participate in extracurricular and nonacademic activities. This includes afterschool sports, aftercare programming, clubs, and other activities offered by the public school. 

Although IEP teams do not need to include extracurricular activities in every student’s program, there are many cases where such participation is an important way to address a unique area of need. For example, a student with extreme social deficits might need practice interacting in unstructured activities like afterschool sports or clubs. And if these students require supplementary aids and services in order to be able to participate in these activities, IEP teams should offer them as part of the Plan. Failure to provide said supplementary aids and services can constitute a denial of a child’s right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education, and entitle them to relief under the IDEA, or section 504.  School districts that don’t take reasonable steps to accommodate disability-related needs may face corrective action through litigation or through guidance from the Office of Civil Rights, and the suffering students may be entitled to recompense. 

Types of Afterschool Programing to Consider We have discussed some of the kinds of after-school programming that might help your students with a disability succeed. But even activities that are not traditionally considered related to a student’s disability (e.g. speech therapy for a student with autism, or occupational therapy to treat a sensory processing disorder) can help your child do better in school. 

For example, students suffering from impulsivity and/or executive functioning deficits often benefit from martial arts or organized sports. Art and music classes have had great impacts on my clients with anxiety, depression, and other educationally related mental health challenges. And even “fun” activities like a Pokemon club or an Avengers discussion group can help students with social anxiety or delays work on their social pragmatic language skills. 

Parting Thoughts The most important when planning your afterschool activities is not how to maximize a resume, or even how to target a deficit. I look for (when planning for my own kids, and for my clients) programming that helps them learn about themselves and how to feel stronger in who they are. Even if a student turns out to be not-so-great at soccer, or hates the viola, struggling through adversity and learning you can do hard things pays off beyond the pitch or recital. So be sure and pay attention to interests, but also know that getting it wrong can be ok—even for our kids with differences. 

Alexis Casillas is an active board member at copaa.org, and represents students and their families in educationally related matters. She practices education law in California, and handles special education matters on appeal across the country. She also works with schools and providers who serve students with disabilities.